14 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



use of the land solicited. This is done with little cost, aoid 

 nothing is paid to the owner of the land for the use of it. 

 An agreement may be made with the owner that he may sell 

 the land or use it for building purposes at any time. This 

 seldom if ever results in the destruction of a growing crop. 



In some cases a little measuring or surveying is necessary 

 to establish the lines, and to divide large tracts into individual 

 gardens. After sufficient land is thus made available, appli- 

 cation blanks should be published in the local press so that all 

 who are in any way interested in doing the garden work may 

 have an opportunity of applying for a garden tract. The 

 plans may be explained to all teachers in the public schools, 

 and they may tell the pupils about them. 



The applications may be examined by a committee 

 appointed for the purpose. The assignments, if necessary, 

 may be made to those persons who seem most in earnest or 

 who would be most benefited by the use of such gardens. An- 

 other plan is to make assignments in the same order that 

 applications are received. 



Aid to Gardeners. — In most instances the cleaning up 

 is done by the association, and a fence, if necessary, is placed 

 around each large tract. A fence is usually not necessary, 

 but may be needed where stock are allowed to roam or where 

 paths have been formed by neighbors in the vicinity. The 

 fence may be of a temporary character and inexpensive — per- 

 haps a single wire three feet from the ground fastened on 

 stalces about one rod apart. 



Tracts which have not been in use for gardening pur- 

 poses should be plowed some weeks or months in advance, 

 and kept harrowed to prevent the growth of grass and weeds. 

 Just before planting time the ground may be cultivated or 

 disked to make it mellow for planting. This plan is not 

 always possible, as it is mucli more expensive whc^e teams are 

 to be hired. 



The association grows plants in its own greenhouse or hot- 



